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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2015, 17, 4 (pages: 69 - 76)

The prevalence of methamphetamine, MDMA and new drugs among opiate addicts on Agonist Opioid Treatment

Gabrovec B.

Summary: Introduction: Opiate addicts receiving Agonist Opioid Treatment (AOT) usually decide to join the treatment programme as a positive response to their opioid addiction. Aims: The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the prevalence of other types of illicit drug use among opiate addicts who had previously been included in an Agonist Opioid Treatment (AOT) programme. Methods: This investigation has focused mainly on the following illicit drugs: methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy) and designer drugs, while excluding heroin, cocaine and THC. It explores the use of a group of substances that are poorly known, in a cohort of heroin addicts in agonist opioid maintenance. In addition, we have tested a number of hypotheses by comparing outpatients belonging to various age-groups visiting different AOT programme centres. Results: According to our results, the use of these types of illicit drugs is not common among opiate addicts receiving Agonist Opioid Treatment (AOT) in Slovenia (such illicit drugs are only consumed by users to a minimum extent). Further, opiate addicts rarely decide to use these types of drugs to get intoxicated, and any such decision would only be likely if they were unable to obtain drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Conclusion: At present, drugs such as methamphetamine (crystal meth), MDMA/ecstasy and new drugs, such as synthetic or designer drugs: synthetic cannabinoids, mephedrone, 3MMC – meth ice, methylone), are not widely used by opiate addicts on AOT in Slovenia, despite their increasing availability on the black market.